


Christmas at Erebor Castle

by i_am_still_bb



Series: Gathering Fiki - 12 Days of Christmas (2020) [6]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Edwardian, Christmas, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 08:14:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27967412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/i_am_still_bb/pseuds/i_am_still_bb
Summary: Fili returns home for the holidays to find a prince that he’s heard nothing good about in his house.
Relationships: Fíli/Kíli (Tolkien)
Series: Gathering Fiki - 12 Days of Christmas (2020) [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2048309
Kudos: 8
Collections: GatheringFiKi - 12 Days Of Christmas 2020





	Christmas at Erebor Castle

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Gathering FiKi's 12 Days of Christmas 2020.
> 
> Inspired by this _gorgeous_ photoset!

_December 1913_

“Lord Felix! It’s so good to see you again! Did you have a good term?”

“I’m surprised that they sent you up here with the horse cart, Walsh,” Fili says. He hoists himself onto the box seat. “I hope it was a good term, but I won’t know about my grades until I go back after New Years.”

Walsh hoists Fili’s trunk into the back of the cart. “I’m sure you did well, my lord.”

Fili laughs, “My uncle will certainly have a lot to say about it if I did not.

“So, has anything happened since I’ve been away?”

-

Walsh pulls the cart up in front of the ornately carved doors of Erebor Castle. 

“If I don’t see you before Christmas, I hope you have a good one,” Fili says, hopping down from the cart. He gives Walsh a wave.

Fili bounds of the steps to the front door. He flings it open revealing the entrance hall with thick red carpeting, composite columns, and gothic arches. It is a space that he has known since his earliest days.

“Lord Felix? I thought we weren’t expecting you until tomorrow on the 9 o’clock train?”

“Balin!” Fili beams. “I wrote my mother and told her I was coming back a day earlier. I hope that’s not a problem.”

“Of course not, Lord Felix,” Balin assures with a slight bow of his head. 

A footman appears to help Fili with his coat, but Fili already has it, his gloves, and his cap off. He hands them to the footman. “Thanks, Thomas.”

“Do you know where my mother is, Balin?”

“I believe she’s in the drawing room, my lord.”

“Thank you.” Fili turns and walks down the hall. He opens the drawing room door.

“Fili!” Dis rises with a rustle of silk. She embraces him. “If I did not know any better I would swear that you have grown.”

“I think you have shrunk, Ma,” Fili grins cheekily. 

“I have not!” she protests indignantly. 

Fili raises his eyebrows. 

“Sit.” She sits and gestures to the spot next to her on the pink velvet couch. 

“Is this new?” Fili asks. 

“I had to do something with my time since I left the hospital board.”

“And how does Uncle Thorin feel about that?”

“Honestly, Fili, I do not think that he’s noticed. As long as I do not touch that painting of William VI I doubt he’ll ever notice,” she says with a laugh. 

A bell sounds.

“That’ll be the dressing gong,” she rises. “I’ll make sure that they send one of the footmen up to assist you.”

“No need, Ma,” Fili says. “I’ve gotten used to dressing myself at university. I should probably stay in practice.” 

She gives him a wink, “Don’t you let Thorin catch you saying that or neither of us will ever hear the end of it.”

-

The dining room has changed as well. The paintings in their ornate golden frames hang on walls of verdant green above a warm, wooden wainscoting. It makes the white marble fireplace stand out. The chairs are green as well. The previously blue rug has been replaced with a cream one that is shot through with pink, red, and green.

“How was your term?” Thorin asks after the first course is served.

Fili shakes out his napkin and lays it across his thigh. “Good.”

“Did you pass your courses?”

“I won’t know until the start of spring term, but I’m confident that I did well in Latin and Ancient History. I am less certain about Philosophy.”

“Maybe if you spent more time studying than drinking and fooling around in boats you would be sure about that one too.”

Fili ducks his head to look at the bowl of soup sitting in front of him.

“Thorin,” Dis rests on hand on Thorin’s forearm. “I am sure he did fine.”

“He is not.”

Dis picks up her spoon. “Let us talk about something else, something more cheerful

“Fili, did you have anybody that you want to invite for Christmas?”

Fili swallows. “You are always very thorough, Ma. I am sure you invited everyone. I am just as sure that I would have forgotten someone.”

“I did not know if you had any friends from university that you might like to invite.”

Fili shakes his head, “They all have plans with their families.

Who did you invite?”

Dis begins to rattle off names.

Fili listens politely and finishes his soup. He is more than glad to have the focus of the conversation shifted away from his grades and his future prospects, which always turns into a conversation about the estate and how does he plan on managing it if he cannot even pass some courses?

“... and I invited Sir Dori and his brothers. I’m sure Nori will attend because of the hunts, but I am not sure about the younger brother. I know that he has been quite busy.”

-

The first carriage arrives soon after breakfast the a week later. Fili chafs and the sudden formality of everything. He had grown used to the slipping of the barriers between ranks and the casual nature of life there. Of course there were some sons of nobility that kept themselves apart and took offense when sons of earls mingled with the sons of self-made men.

“Ori!” Fili beams when his friend climbs out of a carriage. “I thought you would be coming with Dori?”

Ori grasps Fili’s hand firmly. “I planned on it, but I ended up staying in London for a few extra days with a friend.” He gestures to the carriage where another man is climbing free, a shiny top hat clutched in one hand. 

Ori turns his attention to Thorin. “Thank you for having us, Lord Durin.”

Fili watches the other man straighten and replace his hat.

“Can I present my friend His Royal Highness Prince James of Wales.”

His Royal Highness grins, “Come on, Ori. There’s no need for all that.”

Thorin stiffens his already rigid posture. “There most certainly is. We were not expecting you, Sir.”

“It’s a delight to be here. I hope that it is not a bother.”

Once Ori and the prince go inside Dis has a quick word with Balin and guest rooms are shuffled so that His Royal Highness has the best room. 

-

Dinner that night is a loud and rowdy affair with every seat filled. 

Fili is seated next to a chatty young woman with red hair, but all of her attention seems to be on the youngest son of the Prince of Wales. When he is too busy talking to the young lady next to him, Fili’s dinner companion chatters to him about the prince.

“He is just so scandalous. You know that he tells everyone to call him Kili?” she giggles. “A nickname!”

“How interesting,” Fili says politely. He focuses on cutting his haddock.

“And to think he could be king someday! What a different world it will be!” She reaches for her glass of wine.

“Quite.”

\- 

When the ladies have withdrawn to the drawing room and the men to the smoking room Fili has a snifter of whiskey, Thorin has a dessert wine glass of port and the other men all have drinks in hand. Smoke curls around the room from cigars, cigarettes, and at least one pipe, probably smoked by Dori.

Everyone seems to be clustered around Prince “Kili.” 

Fili sits down and frowns. He swirls the whiskey and takes a drag from his cigarette. 

“You seem grumpy.” Dain says. 

“Everyone wants to talk to the prince,” Fili says neutrally.

“Well, how often will they have the ear of a future king?”

“He’s the youngest son.”

“They say that he is quite close to his elder brother.”

“Those two brothers would have to die without heirs for this one to reach the throne,” Fili grumbles.

Dain looks at the drink in Fili’s hand. “How many of those have you had?”

“Not enough.” Fili nearly drains the glass again before getting it filled again and returning to his chair. “I just hope that this prince does not ruin the holiday.”

“How would he ruin it?” Dain looks around to make sure no ears are close enough to overhear.

“I know people who attended Trinity College with him and they say that he’s a right prat.”

Dain frowns. He plucks the drink from Fili’s hand. “You have had quite enough. You should head up before you make a fool of yourself. And there is the hunt tomorrow and you’ll want to be sober for it.”

-

“Do you want me to bring you Chester?” a groom asks Fili when he steps out the front door.

Fili adjusts his hat and squints around at the assembled crowd. 

“No. I would like to ride Smaug today.”

“Are you sure, my lord?”

Fili nods and walks over to Dwalin, Thorin’s game warden. “How is it looking today?”

“Good, my lord. It’s pretty dry out there and the hounds have been noting scent in quite a few places.”

“Your horse, Lord Felix.”

“Thank you,” Fili nods and takes the reins. On the other side of the drive he spots Ori, but he is by the prince’s side. Fili rolls his shoulders and joins Thorin.

The horn sounds and the hunt begins.

The horses thunder across the open fields to the baying of the hounds and the squawking of the horns. As usual the large group breaks off into smaller ones as the hunt progresses. 

When they come to a bridge some take the bridge while others urge their horses to jump the fence and to splash through the icy water. Fili urges his horse towards the fence. He clears the fence and charges through the water to come out on the other side.

When confronted with the crowd of gathered horses on the other side Smaug puts up quite a fuss. He rears up. Kicking his front legs and squealing. 

Fili tightens his grip on the reigns. He swears at the horse. He can hear others making suggestions and comments about the angry black stallion. 

“Down, you great beast,” Fili grunts. “It’s just other horses. You know most of them.”

Smaug rears up again. From the corner of his eye he sees the others pull away. He barely hears the words, “He’s going to go over!”

Fili kicks his feet free from the stirrups. But he is not free from the horse before Smaug crashes to the ground. 

Fili cries out.

Smaug is gone and he is surrounded by concerned faces. Dwalin is at Fili’s elbow helping him up before anyone else can dismount. 

“Lord Felix, are you all right?”

“I am, Dwalin. Thank you.” 

Fili pulls his arm free, but as he puts the weight on right foot it buckles beneath him. 

“Dwalin, will you go back and bring Fili another horse since that dreaded beast has run off.”

“I can take him back.”

Fili turns to see who spoke. 

The prince has pushed his way to the front. 

“That is quite all right,” Fili protests. “I can wait for another horse. I do not want to ruin the hunt.”

“Nonsense,” Thorin says.

Kili moves his reins to one hand, and urges the horse forward. He frees one foot from the stirrups. 

“Really, I will be fine if I have to wait.”

Dwalin still has Fili by the elbow and urges him to lift his good foot to the stirrup. And Fili is hoisted onto the horse in front of Kili.

Kili takes up the reins in both hands, replaces his foot, and shifts in the saddle.

“This is undignified,” Fili grumbles once they are outside earshot of the others.

“Less undignified than falling on your ass in front of all your guests,” is Kili’s quick reply that leaves Fili with nothing to say.

-

“It is just a strain, Ma,” Fili protests. “I really don’t need a doctor.”

“He’s already here so he will be seeing you whether you want him to or not.”

Kili has seated himself in a chair opposite Fili’s bed.

“I am safely back in the house now. You do not have to stay.”

Kili’s lips curl, “I daresay that this is more exciting than the hunt.”

-

“Has everyone gone?” Fili asks his valet in the morning.

“Yes, my lord. They all went out for the shoot. It’s pheasants today, I believe.”

“Good.” Fili hauls himself from his bed.

“Are you sure that’s wise, my lord?” 

“Help me get dressed. And then I’ll take some tea in the small library.”

After he is dressed, minus one shoe that will not fit over the bandage the doctor wound around his ankle, Fili makes his way to the small library with a single crutch. His valet had tried to give him the second one, but he needs his free hand, thank you very much.

The house is blessedly quiet. A few servants are busy putting up Christmas decorations, but other than that Fili sees nobody. 

In the library he selects a book and sits down on a couch. He sinks back into the cushions and props his foot up on the coffee table. Normally he would abstain from such behavior, but with Thorin out and his mother occupied with overseeing the staff and the Christmas preparations he feels comfortable enough to get away with it. 

He has just settled into his book, a Conan Doyle that he has read many times before, and his tea has arrived when the door opens. Expecting one the servants Fili does not look up. 

“I thought the doctor told you to keep weight off of your ankle for a few days.”

Fili looks up sharply. He stands awkwardly, his weight resting on a hand pressed onto the arm of the sofa. “I was told everyone had gone out.”

Kili waves his hand. “No need for that.”

Fili sits down cautiously. He does not relax or put his foot back up on the coffee table. “I hope you will not tattle on me to the doctor or my mother.”

Kili browses the bookshelves with his hands clasped behind his back. “That will depend.”

“On?” Fili watches the prince.

“On whether you keep your weight off that foot. Sitting in the library is not too strenuous, so I will not be reporting back to anyone on this exact instance.”

Kili plucks a book from the shelves and opens to the first few pages. In the moments of silence Fili picks up his book again, but he does not start reading. Kili sits in an armchair opposite Fili. He crosses an ankle over his knee and turns a page.

“Why did you not go hunting?”

“I am not a particularly good shot.”

“I highly doubt that.”

“And I thought I would find better amusements inside.”

“And have you?”

Kili looks up from his book, his smile, mischievous, “I believe that I have.

“What are you reading?”

“Just a Sherlock Holmes novel,” Fili says holding the book up. “What did you find?” he nods to Kili’s selection.

“There really is not a good humanities selection here, so this is a book about natural history, something I know very little about.”

“Do you like reading about the humanities?”

“Very much. I just finished reading Vasily Kandinsky’s _Treatise on Art_ before we arrived.”

“I have never heard of that.”

“I have it with me. You could borrow it if you would like. Maybe we could discuss it sometime.”

-

By the time that the sun sets and everyone returns from the hunt the servants and Dis have the tree decorated. It twinkles merrily in the Great Hall.

Someone begins playing the piano after dinner.

“Fili, you have such a lovely singing voice,” Dis says tugging Fili through the crowd to the piano. 

“Ma…”

After the Sussex Carol and Good King Wenceslas Fili manages to escape to the buffet. Kili appears at his elbow.

“Your mother was right. You do have a lovely voice.” Kili’s grin is teasing. 

“If you think it’s so fun you should go up there and sing. My mother would enjoy it as would all of your _admirers._ ” Fili gets a drink and, balancing on one foot and his crutch, he nearly drains it. 

“I can assure you that I sound like a frog with a head cold when I sing.”

“Excuse me if I am not convinced.”

Ori interrupts, “Kili, there you are. Do you want to join us for a game of cards?”

“I would be delighted.”

Kili shoots a glance over his shoulder at Fili as he follows Ori into one of the rooms off the Great Hall.

Kili stops and plucks a berry from the mistletoe. He sees Fili watching him and winks.

Fili’s flush is not entirely to be blamed on the wine. 

-

Kili finds Fili in the hall outside Fili’s room much later after everyone has gone to bed. Fili is wrapped in a red quilted robe. The candle eschewed for the crutch that he must use. 

Kili holds out a hand with the pearly white mistletoe berry resting in the center of his palm. “I didn’t want to risk them all being gone, so I took one earlier. I didn’t want to lose my excuse to do this.”

The entirety of this flush can be blamed on Kili.

**Author's Note:**

> There are a lot of different traditions surrounding mistletoe, but I have always liked the one where to claim a kiss you had to pluck one of the berries. Once the berries were gone you could no longer claim a kiss using the mistletoe.


End file.
